USB Business Cards

Description: This revolutionary product offers additional professional business promotion, with both the effect of regular cards, and storage capabilities via the USB stick of the company presented through video presentations, PowerPoint presentations, price offers, information on the structure, history, hierarchy, etc. These cards are made of cardboard or plastic, a little thicker than regular cards, at one end with a built-in USB stick which can be slid or rotated to be
introduced in the PC.

Resources needed: - documentation regarding the most accessible and presentable format to be achieved
                          - Sliding mechanism sketches and experimentation / rotation of the part containing the cardboard and the mini-USB stick
                      - Cutting machines / cutting depending on the material selected for the process
                     - Acquisition of necessary materials and of mini-sticks
                     - Setting a sale price

Advantages: -it  is professional-looking and it has great utility
                     - It will be sold at very high price
                     - It is very effective in many ways
Disadvantages: - the process of implementation should be done after a thorough documentation process
Conclusions: An innovative product that brings such great benefits for carriers and businesses, and you can achieve substantial income if all conditions are met.

Vietnamese pigs (Pot-bellied pigs)

Description: There is a small breed of pigs that, after studies of specialists in the field, would seem to have no cholesterol. Keeping in mind that the taste of its meat is very similar to the common pork, meat makes it an ideal product for those suffering from various diseases, for those who keep diets or want to live healthier. A pig is much smaller than the common pig, grows up to 120 kg, and such meat sells for approx. 10 euro / kg of pork or a two-month pig for
80-100 euros. Vietnamese pigs are much easier to maintain and consume much less than the common pig.
Resources needed:-availability for locations outside the city
                              - Funds for purchasing the pigs
                              - Expenditure on food
                              - Availability and cost of maintenance and cleaning
Advantages: - Healthy products are increasingly sought
                 - Much smaller spaces than growing traditional pigs
                 -  The selling price is very good
                 - Businesses of this type have great potential
Disadvantages: - difficulties in the slaughter process(you can negotiate contracts with approved slaughterhouses)
Conclusions: In a market that is increasingly turning to healthy and natural products, this product can become very popular and someone who invests in it can make substantial profits.

My Motivation

Here's part of my own motivation. I talk a lot about what I believe to be God's calling and imprint on our lives...mine included. However, let me live up to what I tweeted recently and be even more honest and transparent. I want my children to know me as a man who always did the most he could with what he had. I don't want them to feel like I wasted opportunity or money or life. Further, I want them to see me as a living example - an epistle, if you will - to which they can aspire.

I chose an entrepreneurial path because I wanted them to see that as an option for their own lives. That motivated me to launch out when my oldest daughter was around four years old. I didn't want my daughters to have any recollection of their father doing anything except diligently maximizing his time and opportunities - for better or worse. That's pretty much the bottom line.

Entrepreneurship isn't for everyone. Much of it may not be for me! Still, I never wanted them to know me as a man who gave up or settled. No settling! Not ever! I have often felt like I've failed my girls as a man and father. Perhaps other parents have felt the same way? It probably comes with the territory. I don't know. What I do know is I want them to know me as a man who gave all he had - every day.

That's my motivation.

How am I doing? Honestly?

One of the things that amazes me the most is how people don't allow me to have moods, bad days or even be angry about anything. Nothing! I love social media and engaging people. I don't consider myself a very private person and don't mind sharing what's on my mind. What's funny, however, is how people react (over-react?) whenever I post a Status Update that says anything except "I'm happy, happy, happy, happy, happy!"

Come on, folks.

I'm kind of pissed about it really. If I say anything about having a hard day, being mad about something, being tired or stressed, people freak out. Some even say stuff like "You're better than that!" or something else that suggests that I'm not supposed to be human or a common man. Some people get mad at me. They tend to forget that 99% of the time I reveal something negative, I'm also saying I'm taking it to God in prayer. They say things like "How am I supposed to make it through the day when you aren't encouraging me?!"

People! Christ is there for you and He neither sleeps nor slumbers. I do. Mr. "Live BIG! Die Empty." needs some zzzz's right now.

This is part of the pressure that makes public figures feel like retreating into sex, drugs and deviant behavior. Don't worry. I'm not going that direction. But I see how some of these things happen. People feel pressure to be perfect and if/when they're not, people come down on them HARD!

This is the same stuff that hinders people from getting real deliverance from their problems. You ask someone how they're doing and - especially if they're a Christian - they're supposed to say "I'm blessed and highly favored of the Lord!!" all the time, every time, no exceptions! They are slow to say, "Hey, would you pray for me when you think of it. This is a tough season." You don't want to sound unspiritual.

So...how am I doing? I'm great. Not in a happy talk way. I'm doing fine. I'm tired, however. It's been a long week. I feel like I've been in a boxing match physically and emotionally. It's probably time for a vacation and certainly time for a breakthrough in some areas. I need to take some courageous chances. Look for that from me. I'll be sticking my neck out there even more over the next several weeks.

Pray for me. E-mail me your prayer request, too. I'd be glad to pray for you! I'm going to get a cup of coffee and dive into my e-mails now. Thanks for the therapy session. I'm done complaining. I'm blessed and highly favored!!

7 Ways to Make Social Media Work Harder for You

1. First of all, you want to make sure you've created and updated profiles on all of the most popular social media sites. If you have, you want to connect to well-connected people so the power of their networks will begin to work for you. The most popular, of course, is Facebook...by far. But there's also LinkedIn, Twitter and the fast-growing Google+. Here are links to connect with me. I'd be proud to know you and I share tips and resources all the time!

Mark Anthony McCray on Facebook
Mark Anthony McCray on Twitter
Mark Anthony McCray on LinkedIn
Mark Anthony McCray on Google+

2. You will want to create a page for your business if you don't have one. It's easy. Facebook shows you how. Then invite your current contacts to connect with you. You can email all of your non-Facebook contacts and invite them to "Like" your Facebook fan or business page! Here's how:

1. Click on "Edit Page" to the upper right once you are on your business page.
2. On the left, you will see a menu of options. Click on "Resources"
3. You will see a few more options to the right. Click on "Tell Your Fans"
4. You will see options to contact your Yahoo!, Comcast, AOL and other address books there.
5. You can also contact up to 5000 people from your Outlook Address Book if you choose "Other Tools" and upload your Outlook address book. LinkedIn is one of your options, as well!

Good luck! This should help your social media marketing be more successful if you can reconnect with people who you've known and done business with outside of Facebook!

3. Once you have reached 25 connections on your Facebook page, Facebook allows you to shorten the domain to something more attractive. Use this link to shorten your web domains on Facebook: http://facebook.com/username and be selective. You can only do this once.

4. You can use a site like Fiverr.com to have some graphics made for you such as logos and product mock-ups. There are dozens of artists and other regular people who will do all kinds of neat things for you for only $5. I've used it myself several times with great results!

5. Did you know you can download a copy of everything you've ever posted on Facebook? I just did and I have a file of all my Status Updates, etc since 2008! This is a great things because I am going to be able to go back and capture some of the best stuff for use in my blogs and other writings! If you click on "Account Settings" on your Home page, you'll see an option to "Download a copy" of your Facebook data. Just follow the instructions and you'll receive an email with a backup copy of all your photos, messages, status updates and more shortly.

6. I may be the last person to discover this, but if you add Klout for Google Chrome to your browser (assuming you use Chrome, as I do) it shows you everyone's Klout score as you Tweet. Your's too! Klout at the Chrome Webstore I like it because watching my score touches my competitive side and, more importantly, keeps me accountable to stay engaged with my contacts.

7. FINALLY....Join my Facebook Experts Group....If you are a writer, speaker, coach, trainer, author or ANYTHING that fits into the "Expert" market space, you need to be a part of this group! Nothing against motivational quotes and scriptures, but that's not what this group is for. This group is all about "shop talk" and exchanging tips, resources, etc. that will HELP YOU BUILD YOUR BUSINESS.

Join us and please add someone else who you think will be a great resource and/or recipient! The philosophy of this page is simple...if you know where the water is, point it out to other thirsty folks!!!

Marketing for BIG Impact with small Dollars

I've been keeping a small file of marketing ideas especially for entrepreneurs and small business owners for years. Many I've used myself and some I've either seen other business owners use. All are effective and all require you to actually DO SOMETHING!! But they don't necessarily cost a lot of money. You might be surprised at how much impact you can generate for a few bucks.

Before we get going, you might want to read some of my previous blogs on marketing so you know where I'm coming from. One is called "The Ten Commandments of Marketing Yourself, Your Product or Your Services" and it will give you a baseline understanding of my philosophies regarding marketing.

Another that you'll want to check out is called "The Nine Most Powerful Words You Can Utter" and I've also written an article about using social media effectively called "Mark's 10 Be's of Social Media" and I'd love your feedback on any of them! I think there's helpful information for you. My heart goes out to the entrepreneur. Believe me. I understand the challenges of generating business from scratch!

Here's a list of some cheap, cheap tactics you can use now!

1. If you are targeting local businesses or offices, go to a cookie place and buy one of those HUGE cookies. Have them paint your name and number on the cookie using icing. Deliver it in person. Everyone will be talking about you for days! It's important NOT TO USE SMALL COOKIES. You want to use a big cookie because they are too big for one person to eat alone...forcing at least a few conversations about you and your company!

2. Hold a contest. A simple contest or questionnaire will work even without a prize...or much of a prize. For example, email or use social media to ask people what you should call your company. Tell them your top three choices for names or logos. Ask for their feedback. People are always glad to share their opinions and, in the process, you will have an opportunity to tell them all about your practice. It works!

3. It's an overlooked tactic because it takes a little work, but make some cheap flyers and pass them out door-to-door. If you want to turn it up a notch, approach other companies and offer to deliver their flyers for them! If you can get just a few to say "yes" it will pay for your own flyers right away. Want to turn it up another notch? Get some neighborhood kids to hang them on doors for you. Just don't litter! I don't want any calls from jail. I've done this one before. It works really well if you need to move some feet to your business location.

4. Hire an artist (Craigslist will do just fine.) to use chalk to draw your company name and logo on a busy street downtown with directions to your shop or to your website. People will think it's neat. They will remember. Take a bunch of pictures for your social media site. Tweet it. Fun is memorable! It's cheap, too. You can always find a local college student who will be willing to the job for you.

5. I like to call T-Shirts walking billboards because they are cheap and always tell a story. Give some away. Make it a big deal or some kind of contest. You only need a dozen or two and that few can be had for not much at all. People like free things. Plus they have what I call "trophy value" if you do a contest. People will be glad to tell others how they won it every time. It's a win for you. Just be sure to include your website in the design.

Got any ideas you want to add? Please email mark@livebigdieempty.com and I can include them in a future blog or update! The bottom line is you can't be afraid to do something different. Getting people to talk about you is part of the point! Marketing Outrageously by Jon Spoelstra is an excellent and fun read to help you break out of the normal ways of thinking about marketing.

Of course, I have to make one more mention. I wrote an EBook called "10 Ultimate No B.S. #MonsterTips to Help You Sell More and Earn More Money NOW!" and it's important because you have to know how to close the business once people start calling you. Please purchase a copy if you need more business!

Business plan writing service

Description: This activity can become very useful for people who want to start a business, but believe that they do not need a business plan. This service can help them by realizing all the strategies and cost structures that will be needed when creating a business. In short, whoever will start this service, will ask from the client: company name, name of the employer, city, email, web, office location, management structure, capital structure, product or service offered, and based on these data they will proceed to the execution of the business, namely the following
stages: summary of business, purpose, product presentation, product market analysis (sales strategies, customer profile, strategies to promote), competition analysis, SWOT analysis (Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities , Threats), presentation of the required capital, achieving financial plan (sales and profit situation for 3-4 years) and Additionals (Additional product information, brochures, market research data).
Such a service can be promoted through a website and customer data can be obtained by e-mail. The delivery price plan will be established depending on the complexity of the business (for example if a product in the technical field that requires advanced presentation technology research and production, then the price will be higher than for a business plan showing a service implementation of business plans).

Resources needed: - information and willingness to travel for information purpose
- PC
- Minimum PC knowledge
Advantages: - it is an essential service for anyone who wants to start a business
                - The investment is very small
                - With time and by gaining experience, the time invested will be reduced
Disadvantages: - if it is well promoted, this activity does not have disadvantages
Conclusions: A business plan is essential for any starting entrepreneur, but many entrepreneurs start their first experience without a plan, thus leading them to an inevitable failure. Therefore, such a high quality service, if practiced at an affordable price, it can be very successful and can provide acceptable income for anyone deciding to invest in such an activity.